Nicole Polizzi, also known as Snooki from the TV show Jersey Shore, isn’t afraid to get real about her adventures in motherhood.

Earlier this year, fans criticized the mom of three for allowing her older children, ages 4 and 6, to ride around Disney World in strollers. Polizzi shrugged off the comments, saying strollers save her “the stress of not losing offspring.”

According to the Canadian Breastfeeding Foundation (CBF), Polizzi’s symptoms sound similar to those of mastitis, which can also produce a painful lump in the breast and redness near the infected site.

“Mastitis is due to an infection (almost always due to bacteria rather than other types of germs) that usually occurs in breastfeeding mothers,” says the site.

Jandy Beresford, a board-certified lactation consultant based in Durham Region, Ont., says mastitis is most often caused by a blocked duct.

“It’s milk that has stayed in the breast too long… if that blockage isn’t cleared, it gets infected and then it can cause some serious symptoms for the mother and be very uncomfortable,” Beresford told Global News.

Signs and symptoms

In Beresford’s experience, mastitis makes you feel like you’ve been “hit by a truck.”

“It’s like getting the flu really badly and really quickly,” she said.

Sometimes, you can feel the bump of hardened milk, though not always. It depends on where the lump is in your breast.

“The telltale sign of mastitis is a fever because it’s an infection,” said Beresford.

Instagram / @snooki

Instagram / @snooki

According to Dr. Jack Newman, founder of the International Breastfeeding Centre, a blocked duct can occur when the mother has an abundant milk supply but the baby’s latch is not as good as it can be.

“This results in poor drainage of the breast while the baby is feeding,” he said.

Unfortunately, the presence of mastitis can make it even more difficult for the baby to feed.

“Often, the breast will not empty well because of the swelling,” said Newman.

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In his view, a mother with mastitis should continue to breastfeed with the affected breast as long as the pain isn’t too bad.

“For years, physicians had been telling mothers not to feed on the affected side, which makes no sense at all,” he said.

Maintaining a normal feeding schedule should allow the duct to clear on its own.

Beresford emphasizes that everyone’s experience with breastfeeding will be slightly different. The important thing is that the baby is getting the nutrients he or she needs to grow.

“If your baby is latching on and drinking well, if they’re satisfied when they come off the breast… if they’re growing well, if they’re happy and content, if you can put them down, if it doesn’t hurt… things are going well,” she said.

“If any of those things aren’t happening, then see a breastfeeding specialist or a lactation consultant… so you can prevent potential issues.”